Bridges of Hope receives donation

XENIA — Simon Kenton Bridges of Hope received a sizeable donation from the First Evangelical Lutheran Church Mission Endowment Fund Dec. 3.

The church gave Dr. Michael Deis, executive director of Simon Kenton Bridges of Hope, and Marlene Labig, vice president, a check for $12,000 from the MEF.

The money — presented by MEF Committee Chair Bob Altick and Pastor the Rev. Alicia Nierman — will benefit the Bridges of Hope emergency shelter at the former Simon Kenton Elementary School. The much-needed shelter for the homeless is scheduled to open in the next few weeks after all inspections have been completed.

The MEF at First Lutheran was established when the church received a generous bequest from an anonymous benefactor. The interest from the MEF is divided and distributed annually and is only to be used for mission and ministry projects for which members of First Lutheran have applied.